Pressurized washing and rinsing apparatus



Jan. 10, 1967 e. H. ROSER PRESSURIZED WASHING AND RINSING APPARATUSFiled Feb. 17. 1965 INVENTOR George H. Roser BY ATTORNEYS United StatesPatent 3,297,257 PRESSURIZED WASHING AND RINSING APPARATUS George HenryRoser, 801 Crescent Drive, Boulder, Colo. 80302 Filed Feb. 17, 1965,Ser. No. 433,293 1 Claim. (Cl. 239310) This invention relates to washingapparatus and more particularly to car washing apparatus in which astream of high pressure air is selectively mixed with a high velocitystream of detergent and water for selectively washing and rinsing.

Included among the objects and advantages of the present invention is asimplified, efiicient, durable wash system for industrial equipment andparticularly for washing vehicles. The device includes a detergentsupply tank with water and air lines through a valving system forquickly and easily switching from washing detergent to cleansing water.The device of the invention includes a high pressure mixing gun formixing liquid with high pressure air forming a non-splashing effectivespray for washing and rinsing vehicles efiiciently and speedily.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention may be readilyascertained by referring to the following description and appendedillustration in which:

FIG. 1 is an overall view of the equipment showing a mixing gun,detergent tank and air and water lines therefor;

FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the charging side of the detergentholding tank of the apparatus of the invention; and

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the tank and v-alving system according tothe invention.

In the form of the invention selected for illustration, an enclosed tankis provided with a lower inlet 12 to which is attached a short nipple14. A valve 16 is mounted on the short nipple and a close nipple 18 issecured on the other side of the valve 16. A T 20 is mounted on theclose nipple 18 and a pair of nipples 22 and 24 is mounted on the freeends of the other ends of the T. A valve 26 is mounted on one side ofthe T and a valve 28 is mounted on the other side. One valve is thewater inlet and the other is the outlet, and as shown the valve 26 isthe water inlet. A water conduit line 30 is attached to the valve 26,and only a portion is shown. This line 30 is attached to a cold or hotwater outlet. An outlet, flexible line 32 extends from the valve 28 to agun 34.

A charging valve 40, mounted on the opposite side of said tank, isconnected to an opening 42 in the op posite side of the tank, and ashort length of pipe 44, with an open end, is attached. to the valve toprovide means for charging detergent into the tank. A cross 49 ismounted on an L 46 which in turn is secured in opening 48 in an upperpart of the tank above the charging valve 40. An air discharge valve 50is mounted above and communicates with the cross, and a gauge 52 ismounted on one arm thereof. An air charging valve 54 is mounted on theopposite side of the cross.

A flexible air line 60 is, also, attached to the gun 34 and the twoflexible lines provide detergent or water and air under pressure for thegun. The gun mixes the water or detergent solution and air to provide afine high pressure mist for effectively washing heavy soil and dirt fromobjects and particularly motor vehicles. The washing of vehicles isnormally accomplished by washing with a cold or cool detergent washingsolution mixed with air from a gun, and after removal of dirt, thenswitching to cold water to rinse the vehicle clean. Warm or hotdetergent solution may effectively be used to wash greasy industrialequipment.

3,297,257 Patented Jan. 10, 1967 ice The device of the invention is usedby initially charging the tank with a detergent, which may either be aliquid detergent or a powder detergent. Sufiicient cleaning agent isadded to the tank by charging through the charging valve 40 into thetank. When charging with powder, powder is added with enough liquid towash the charging inlet clean. The charging valve 40 is closed and theblowotf valve 50 is closed. The outlet valve 28 is closed, and the tankinlet valve 16 is opened. The water line valve 26 is then opened topermit water under pressure to enter the tank at the bottom. The waterentering the tank mixes with the detergent. Continued filling of thetank with water increases the pressure in the tank, and water fill iscontinued until the pressure in the tank reaches about pounds. The tankis only partially filled with water-detergent solution when pressurizedto about 80 pounds. The water valve 26 is then closed, and for washingwith detergent, the valve 28 is opened. Air is admitted to line 60 andthe detergent solution coming in line 32 is mixed with the air in thegun for the washing. When the washing is completed, the valve 16 isclosed, cutting off the supply of detergent, and the water line valve 26is opened so that water is passed through the line 32 to mix with theair in the gun.

In certain instances, it may be necessary to release the pressure on thetank or to repressurize the tank so that the detergent solution willpass from the tank to the gun. For releasing the pressure, the dischargevalve 50 may be opened which will relieve the tank of its air pressure.The tank is easily charged by means of the air inlet 54 which is thesame type of valve as a tire valve, and the ordinary air line found inservice stations may be used to pressurize a tank. The size of the tank10 determines the amount of detergent to be placed in the tank, the tankbeing filled to the prescribed level to provide the desiredconcentration of detergent at the gun for the washing procedure.

The device of the invention is useful for industrial applications andparticularly for washing vehicles in service stations and the like. Themixed liquid and air produces a high pressure mist which does notsplatter and splash as with a normal washing hose, and the pressurizedmist is sufficient to do an effective washing job in a faster mannerthan an ordinary hose with water under faucet pressure. The gun 34includes a needle valve 62 for controlling the air to mix with theliquid. The gun 34 also includes a water adjustment 64 for controllingthe amount of water that goes through the nozzle. Of course, other typesof guns may be used to provide different spray facilities. Various typesof cleaning compositions may be used with the tank; in each case thecleaning material should be compatible with the water for the washing.

While the invention has been illustrated with reference to a particularembodiment, there is no intent to limit the spirit or scope of theinvention to precise details so set forth, except as defined in thefollowing claim.

I claim:

A system for selectively washing with aqueous detergent solution andwater when both are mixed with air comprising:

a tank arranged to be pressurized having a bottom outlet;

a valve having an inlet and an outlet connected to said outlet; a Tconnected to the opposite side of said valve; a water line connected tosaid T; first valve means in said water line for selectively opening andclosing the same;

a flexible outlet line connected to the opposite side of said T;

second valve means in said outlet line, whereby selective control ofsaid valves permits water to be selectively charged into said tank orpassed through said outlet line and aqueous detergent solution may bepassed alone from said tank through said outlet line;

a flexible line for air under pressure associated with said outlet line;

mixing means connected to both said air line and said outlet line formixing liquid with air; and means for descharging mixed liquid and airas a mist from said mixing means.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10/1923 Biersdorf239373 X 1/1943 Johnson 239373 X

